Although the Iron Circle’s power over Adretia is strong, it is not absolute. A resilient rebel organization, the Knights of the Crescent Moon, works against the Iron Circle in the heart of the country. Descended from priests and paladins of Sehanine who were driven underground by the rise of the Iron Circle, these rebels are dedicated to resisting the circle at every turn. They spirit prisoners out of Iron Circle dungeons, intercept couriers, assassinate commanders or governors who become careless, organize guerrilla resistance groups in the borderlands, and seek to hasten the day when the Iron Circle and its dark works are no more.

The knights have a great deal of sympathy from the common people of Adretia, especially out in the countryside. To help the rebels identify one another, members tattoo themselves with a small, moonshaped mark in an easily concealed spot, or carry small silver tokens that burn the hands of the unjust.